Toe Socks
by WateryCordial
Summary: <html><head></head>Ichigo agrees to buy Rukia toe socks but the simple things continue to confuse the girl. Agreeing to help, Ichigo finds out something about Rukia... and Rukia fights back.</html>


Ichigo glanced up from his work to see a head of short black hair bent over a pair of toe socks. He sighed. She was still staring. Ichigo had no idea what was Rukia's problem. He had gotten the socks for her and now all she does is stare at them? Silly soul reaper…

Ichigo's mouth twisted in confusion. Finally he sighed and asked, "What are you doing?"

Rukia jerked her head up in surprise and saw Ichigo with one elbow resting on his work with his weight on his desk and a tired and confused expression on his face. She stared at him. "Eh?" she managed dumbly.

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "You're staring at your socks, Midget."

Rukia glared. "Don't call me Midget," she said narrowing her eyes.

"Whatever, I just want to know why you're staring at your socks. I got them for you and everything and all you're doing is staring at them! You do know what you're supposed to do with socks, right?"

"Of course!" Rukia scoffed. She muttered, "Strawberry," to the orange-haired boy across from her.

"_Ichigo! Look at these socks!"_

_Ichigo let his head fall back in frustration and sighed while following the petite girl into a shop. "Yea, I see them," he muttered._

"_Do you see what's _on_ the socks?" Rukia asked excitedly. Ichigo did and groaned when he saw Chappy the Rabbit's face on the end of purple toe socks, just before the toes. "It's Chappy!" Rukia exclaimed. _

"_Yes, I see…" Ichigo was not interested and tried to pull Rukia away from the shop but Rukia was stubborn and turned to face Ichigo with a determined expression on her face. _

"_Ichigo, I would like you to get me those socks with toes," she demanded. _

_Ichigo groaned. "First of all, they're called 'toe socks'. And second of all, I am not your slave! So I don't need to get you anything." He started walking away but Rukia hauled him back._

_She stomped on his foot and told him to buy them for her because it's _Chappy_ the _Rabbit_ you Strawberry and she wants him to buy them for her. Ichigo glared and grumbled something about 'stupid midget' under his breath and went to buy the toe socks for Rukia._

_Walking home, Rukia hugged the socks to her and thanked Ichigo profusely, to which Ichigo replied with a grunt. _

"Right, so if you know what to do with socks then why don't you do it like a normal person instead of staring at them like an idiot."

Rukia snatched up her socks haughtily and began to shove her feet into them. She did pretty well until she got to the toes. Her toes were just touching the sock toes and the heel was just under her foot. She stared in confusion. Then, she turned to Ichigo for help.

"Ichigo?" She waited until she had the orange-haired boy's attention. He acknowledged her with a grunt. "What do you do with the sock's toes?" she asked.

Ichigo's eyes fell onto her feet and he saw the hollow sock toes that needed some filling sticking out awkwardly. He rolled his eyes. _Moron_, he thought. He said, "You put your toes in them. So it's kind of like a glove for your feet." He watched Rukia wiggle her toes where the stupid rabbit's face was. He sighed. She couldn't figure toe socks out? Silly soul reaper…

"Here, let me help you," he said sounding tired. Rukia didn't know why, it's not like he had helped her yet. She swung her feet around so she was all but shoving her half-socked feet into Ichigo's face. He grabbed her ankle and turned around so his elbow was hooked around her leg. It was easier to see this way. Ichigo began to pull the sock's toes down onto Rukia's toes. The socks seemed a fraction too small so the task was slightly difficult. His fingers scrabbled over her toes, trying to get the job over and done with.

Rukia felt something bubble behind her mouth. As Ichigo worked with her toes she let out a small squeak. She saw Ichigo turn around slightly. "What?" he asked. Rukia told him it was nothing and he resumed the task. Again the boy's fingers fumbled with the slightly too small sock toes and Rukia let out a louder squeak, this time with a small giggle. The boy in front of her froze. Again, he asked, "What is it Rukia?"

Rukia wiggled her toes a bit and muttered, "It's nothing, it just tickles a bit, that's all."

Ichigo turned his head to look at her from the corner of his eye. "Oh," he said. And suddenly he had an urge to do something, and he wasn't quite sure why or what made him do it but before he could ponder on the thought for any longer he realised he was already doing it.

He tightened his grip around Rukia's ankle and brought his fingers back to hover over the vulnerable girl's foot. Then he slowly stroked the arch of the foot, following the curve and listening to Rukia's nervous squeaks and giggles.

"W-what are you doing Ichigo?" she asked fearfully.

"Nothing," he replied nonchalantly. Then he scratched the girl's toes lightly with his fingernails and felt Rukia squirm behind her.

"I-Ichigo… I don't… what are you doing?"

Then Ichigo attacked her feet. He gripped Rukia's ankle tightly and wriggled his fingers all over her captured foot. He smirked evilly as his fingers danced over her jerking foot. Then he turned around and pulled Rukia towards him by her ankle. She squeaked and soon was laughing again as Ichigo attacked her sides and stomach.

Rukia squeaked and giggled and laughed heartily and shrieked slightly as Ichigo's mercilessly tickled her. She wasn't entirely sure what made Ichigo do this but she didn't have time to think for long because Ichigo's fingers were clamped under her arms and wiggling around like there was no tomorrow. She writhed on the bed, messing up the blankets, and laughed until she felt like she would burst. Her violet-with-a-hint-of-blue eyes were watering slightly and they were little half moon slits as she laughed. She tried talking.

"I-Ichigo!" she panted. "St-haha-stop!" Ichigo just grinned at her and shook his head. He went back to her feet but when he turned she saw her chance. Acting quickly she sat up and squeezed Ichigo's sides. He made a strange sound, halfway between a squeak and a gargle – however you manage that sound – and fell back on top of Rukia, but she took this advantage to tickle him from behind.

Her fingers danced up and down his sides, wriggled under his arms, and curled her arms around to attack his stomach. Ichigo was laughing and trying to grab Rukia's hands but they were too quick. To Rukia, Ichigo's laughs sounded fantastic and she wanted to hear it more. He never laughs freely like this and Rukia took advantage of this time to get as many laughs, giggles, chuckles, and (not very manly) squeaks out of him as she could.

Suddenly Ichigo rolled off Rukia clutching his belly and laughing for all he was worth. He lay on the floor, giggles dying down. Rukia watched him from the bed with a smile. She liked it when he laughed. Ichigo looked back up at Rukia, the tears of mirth slowly stopping, his laughs fading to light chuckles.

He suddenly realised what had just happened. He had let Rukia, _Rukia_, touch him! And, even worse, tickle him! And he had… actually enjoyed it. It was nice to laugh, and Rukia made it easy for him. He watched her purplish-blue eyes as they watched him back.

"Thanks, Rukia," he murmured.

Rukia looked surprised at his sudden thanks but smiled and leant her head on her folded arms. "No problem, Ichigo."

After a moment of softly smiling at each other Ichigo sat up rather abruptly and sternly said, "No one hears about this, ok Midget?"

In turn, Rukia scowled back. "Whatever, Strawberry," she grumbled.

Ichigo stood up from where he was lying and walked back to his desk to resume homework. He scratched his head and wrote down an answer, still slightly smiling.

Rukia stared at her now toe-socked feet. She grinned at them, wiggling her toes. _Thanks_, she mouthed to the Chappy face.

* * *

><p><em>Ok, so. This is my first fanfic ever to post on this site. I would've posted up something else by now but there was no category so... yea. <em>

_Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it! I know it was kinda random and they're probably OOC but... I just wanted to write it!_

_I got the idea from when I was trying to find socks to cover up my foot which had a hole in it. I put on some toe sock and had a bit of trouble putting my toes in._

_But anyways, enough jabbering about nothing!_

_Please review! I'd really appreciate it =) I don't mind constructive criticism either. Plus, I don't want flames... O_O Please don't burn me!_

_ - WateryCordial_


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